There might be some things on this list that surprise you. For example, one of the “top” hair dryers on our list is a travel one. Or that we don’t have curling irons on our list of favorites–we have curling wands. This list is perfect for twenty-somethings with any budget. A lot of our products range from things you can get at Target to salon-inspired products. Enjoy!

Brittni: “I usually stick to whatever mom buys but lately she has been on the same hair page as me. I totally love this Shampoo/Conditioner duo because it does exactly what the title says: moisturizes my brunette locks to the most luxurious extreme! My hair is literally so fried from constant straightening/curling/etc but these products compensate for the harsh treatment that I do to myself. A little trick that I learned from who knows where (maybe I made it up myself, who knows!): leave your conditioner on for a little longer to let your hair totally absorb it. I usually shampoo, rinse, put on conditioner, wash my face (adding another minute or so), then rinse off the luxurious goodness. This will leave you with totally soft hair: Boom.”

Kate: “My hairdresser used UNITE products on my hair when I was going in for my normal cut and I fell in love! The price tag is a bit hefty at up to $30/bottle but the products have improved the health of my hair– making my trips to cut off dead-ends less frequent. Also, if you have fine hair, UNITE products are great, they add volume and my hair has become thicker over time by using the products.”

Jenna: “I’ve talked about this product on TwentyTweets in the past (you and read it here) and I am still in love with it and wouldn’t use anything else. It’s a lightweight mousse that instantly gives your hair volume without being sticky.”

Kate: “For curly hair, I use both a curl cream and hair spray: Ringlet 07 Curl Perfector and Redken Fresh Curls Curl Boost. My hair is naturally wavy so the curl perfector cream adds the extra boost to turn my waves into curls. It’s not thick or sticky, so it won’t make your hair look “crunchy” curly, you can still run your fingers through it. I top it off with the Fresh Curls Curl Boost hairspray to lock in the curls so they don’t fall out by the end of the day.”

Erika: “I’ve been using this product for years. For gymnastics meets, I needed maximum hold but wanted a softer look, and this product always worked perfectly! It held my style without giving me that stiff, helmet hair look. To this day, I’ll still use it when I curl my hair, or even just to hold back some of the flyaways around my face. After styling, simply spray your frizz or flyaways and brush through it. It gives your hair a controlled, but soft and silky finish!”

Erika: “I’ve only recently started using this product, and let me tell you, I can REALLY tell the difference. You know those white little dots on the end of your strands (the dead and split ends)? Well, they’re there (sooner rather than later) because you’re literally KILLING your hair with your blow dryer, straightener, and/or curling iron. And haircuts can be pretty expensive, right? This thermal protection spray will actually help you save money by protecting your hair from direct heat. Spray it on your damp hair before blow drying and styling it. It’s humidity resistant, so it also makes your finished style last longer.”

Brittni: “So last year around this time I had one of those life shattering moments: my straightener shit the bed. Yeah, I know… so epically terrible, right? My amazing boyfriend had the grand idea of buying me this straightener as my graduation gift and I will forever be indebted to him for this. Not only is it a shade of my favorite color (green) but it’s one of the best straighteners I’ve ever used! There isn’t much else to say besides it is great for quick little touch ups when I don’t have time to do my hair completely…or for long, luscious, and straight hair.”

Erika: “My hair dresser first used this straightener on my hair, and I loved it so much, that I had to order it. It heats up super quickly, and has a ton of different heat settings depending on your hair type. It used to take me over a half hour to straighten my stubborn, thick, wavy locks, but now I can straighten them in less than 20 minutes. It doesn’t pull your hair like some straighteners will, and uses some sort of scientific ionic balance (I’m no expert, okay… just living proof) that leaves your hair smooth and shiny.”

Brittni: “I’m not very talented when it comes to hair…so I could never master the art of hair curling with a typical iron. Once I heard that curling wands existed, I was interested because it is just a heated wand (rather than having the clasp that comes with a usual curling iron a.k.a the main culprit behind my hair curling issues). I could never curl my hair without getting that crease that comes with a regular iron. As I was sashaying through my favorite store, Target, I decided to check out the curling wands. For less than $30 I decided to give it a shot. After countless YouTube tutorials (and YES, I am planning on doing one for TwentyTweets soon), I’ve masted the art of the curling wand curl. I use it on days when I don’t feel like washing my hair, nights out on the town, or any other moment that I feel like it, pretty much. It is literally so easy to do (sometimes quicker than straighening for me) so you really can’t go wrong. I highly recommend it! P.S.: Not to knock my fave hair product, but I’ve heard from many people that almost the same thing can be accomplished with a curling iron if you just wrap your hair around the barrel and not use the clasp. Who knew?”

Erika: “I have never been able to curl my hair on my own and have it turn out nicely… Until I started using this Bombshell wand! It’s seriously AMAZING. Hands down, the best curling tool that I have ever purchased. Make sure you wear the glove because the rod is HOT. But I can guarantee you’ll have no dents, no lines… just pretty, natural looking curls. It’s easy to use and can create loose, beachy looking waves or tight, spirally curls. Simple and quick… The perfect tool for a fun look during the day or a sexy look at night.”

Jenna: “I originally bought this (super cheap) hair dryer for my gym bag but after one day of trying it–I just threw my other hair dryer away! It may be small (after all, it is travel size) but it packs some serious power. Since using it, multiple people have commented on how nice my hair looks (and the only thing I had been using different was my hair dryer). It brought out my layers and cut my hair drying time in half. Nothing beats that!”